


Damask Rose

by eisneRiegan



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, I've neglected my artistic baby for too long, Ignatz is the star of this fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-12
Updated: 2020-08-12
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:26:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,688
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25855861
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eisneRiegan/pseuds/eisneRiegan
Summary: Byleth and Khalid befriended a guy who frequents their cafe
Relationships: My Unit | Byleth/Claude von Riegan
Comments: 3
Kudos: 37





	Damask Rose

**Author's Note:**

> Ignatz is the star of this fic, with Claudeleth taking the supportive roles instead.

Byleth and Khalid have been managing a small cafe, something they started on after their wedding, since both have the same love for the aesthetics and chill vibes of a cafe where one will not notice the time flying by. And they decorated their cafe in modern and cosy Almyran theme, which gained them popularity across the neighborhood.

Great food and drinks, and an ideal place for photography made their small business boom in a short time.

Amongst their myriad of customers, one stick out to Byleth as she noticed him first back then in their cafe.

A fair faced guy with blond hair and large eyeglasses, seated in one corner of the cafe with a large drink and half eaten cake.

He's usually by himself, head always down with some kind of notebook he's scribbling in. It's quite amusing to watch him in all honesty since he always forget to consume his food and drinks once he gets into whatever he's scribbling on.

Her husband, Khalid, used to purse his lips when that customer stays for more than three hours in their cafe, not ordering anything else.

Not to mention he's occupying probably one of the best seats in the entire cafe, in his little corner by the window and the wall behind his back. He could watch people come and go, and he'll not get bothered by them as he scribbles away.

Things changed when that fair faced customer didn't order the usual one day, as he wore a dejected expression on his face. He still sat there in his favorite corner but didn't pull out his notebook. He only stayed for a short while and left, head still held low.

Khalid had frowned at that and got worried when he didn't show up for a month.

The next time he came in, Khalid treated him with a free upgrade on his drink (after he committed to memory that his name is Ignatz), and watched him go sit at his usual table.

Things were back to their usual routine, with Ignatz coming in and ordering his usual, though there are times that he'd order something different if he's feeling a little inspired or looking for a different inspiration.

The couple befriended him over the next few weeks and learned that he's an artist. Or rather, an aspiring one.

He ran away from home for a bit to do some self searching and ended up in their neighborhood. His older brother is covering his expenses behind their parents' back, something Ignatz didn't entirely expected but he still welcomed the help.

Turns out, his family is one of those who look down on the arts, saying that it won't generate him a sustainable income. Ignatz also shared that he's in a bit of crossroads, of pursuing his love for art and do it for the rest of his life or set it aside for a regular life. He could still pick it up for a hobby but he won't really have enough free time to do it, if he has a demanding work.

Khalid and Byleth knew they're not in any position to say anything about his situation, but one look at his works and they knew he has potential.

The soft lines and shadows on every sketch, despite being in their roughest form, has that charm that will instantly draw a person's eye to it and admire its construction.

And if these are just warm up sketches on the go, what more if he really sits down to produce a finished product?

"You know..." Khalid said thoughtfully one day as he brought over Ignatz's freebie for the day. "I've been thinking...do you accept commissions? There's this one one wall in the cafe that needs a little change of scenery and my Bibi said we should put a painting."

"Oh? A painting would really go nice around here." Ignatz agreed as Khalid sat down to face him. "But I don't think I'm worthy of gracing your walls with my works. I can help you find another artist or a painting though."

Khalid frowned at that. "Why did you have to put yourself down like that? We love your works, from what you've shown to us. Bibi wants your work on display, and honestly? I want to put it up too."

Ignatz smiled sheepishly at that, a faint blush on his cheeks. "Are you sure?"

"Absolutely. Price is no issue too."

Ignatz thought about it for a moment then nodded.

The couple have been nice to him after all. Painting them something is the least he could do.

"Very well... But since this is the first time I'd–" Ignatz started but Khalid held up his hand to stop him.

"A commission is a commission. Bibi knew you'd say you want to give it for free and we don't want you to do that." Khalid told him. "You worked hard on it and you deserve to be compensated."

Ignatz let out a low, embarrassed chuckle. "If you insist... What do you want me to paint?"

"Well..." Khalid grinned as he leaned forward. "Bibi didn't really have anything in mind, but I do. See, our wedding anniversary is coming up and she really love damask roses. I have ordered some of the flowers for Bibi already, in the Leclerc flowershop down the street. Those will fade and wilt, but your painting won't. It'd be a great gift. She could look at them whenever she wants to."

Ignatz blinked at that and smiled.

Painting flowers is his strong suit. Sure, he can make other types of drawn art but he's most comfortable and in his element with flowers.

"I see. Do you have any specifics of the medium to use?" Ignatz asked.

"Not really. Go wild. But make sure it'd be big enough to cover the wall. And in time for the wedding anniversary."

Khalid gestured towards the wall at the other side of the cafe, where a bare wall is waiting for Ignatz's work.

After consuming his food and drinks and saying goodbye to the couple behind the counter, Ignatz left the cafe and went for the flowershop Khalid mentioned.

Thankfully, the shop owner has some extra damask roses that he's willing to part with and Ignatz went on his way, humming as he went home to his rented flat.

He placed the roses in a vase he could find and placed it somewhere with a neat backdrop, which is just the window in all honesty.

Taking out one of his many sketchbooks, he started on his journey of conceptualising his piece. It took him at least a good hour before he got up and prepare his food.

He's still thinking about the piece he's working on as he eat and took a shower afterwards. Eventually as he dried his hair off, he looked back at the roses now with a twilight backdrop.

And things just clicked.

He looked around for his spare canvas board that is the ideal size for the cafe's wall, brushes and his acrylic paints and extender. Setting up his easel, he prepared everything else in front of the roses and started painting.

He also employed a neat trick he had learned from one of his previous highschool art teacher: making acrylic flower painting have that soft look of an old oil painting by pushing and smudging the petals that "goes to the back".

He worked on it for a while since the technique passed to him is still relatively new to him, even ignoring his phone ringing. It's probably just his brother, checking in on him.

Ignatz managed to finish the piece after maybe two hours, after many trials and errors with the technique he employed. He also signed his name underneath and set it to the side to let it dry.

Sending a quick apology text to his brother, Ignatz turned in for the night.

The next day, he wakes up early to buy another canvas board panel since painting the damask roses the previous night fueled him to make one more, this time as a personal gift to the couple. And since he's out, he also went shopping for a fitting frame that would enhance the flowers.

He also stopped by the flower shop, where the owner told him they got their hands on some white damask roses that maybe he'd like to have.

On his way back, he saw someone familiar standing outside the building of his flat.

"Errol!" Ignatz called out to him, surprised to see his older brother. His brother turned to look at him, giving him a soft smile.

"Hey, Iggy. Thought I got lost looking for your flat." He said as he looked down at Ignatz's stuff. "Glad to see you're painting again. And that rose is for me?"

"Huh? Oh...yeah." Ignatz replied. "No, wait. I mean... The rose is for the painting."

"Oh?"

Ignatz smiled at his brother, embarrassed. "The owners of a cafe downtown wanted me to make something for one of their walls. It's a long story, we should head inside."

Once they entered the flat, his brother noticed the rose sitting by the window and then the painting at one side of the room while Ignatz filled him in with things that happened to him there since he moved.

"So, yeah...that's how I got commissioned to paint a gift for his wife." Ignatz chuckled as he turned to the pantry to prepare something for the two of them.

Errol sat down on his brother's bed, looking at the painting intently with a doting smile.

They shared a quick lunch and Errol had to make up an excuse on the spot so that he can stay a bit longer ("I'm staying overnight, Iggy. I want you to treat me to this cafe you mentioned since I've been a good older brother, keeping your whereabouts a secret from our parents." Errol said with a straight face) and watched his brother paint the roses again afted rearranging it on the vase.

There's this undeniable sparkle in his brother's eyes as he worked on the second painting, that soft small smile on his face as the brush touches the board and bring his work to life. Or that small frown or pout if he makes a mistake that he had to correct.

He had never seen his brother happier like this, doing what he's passionate about.

Though both Victor sons knows that passion isn't going to pay the bills or put food on the tabld, something like art is what makes life worth living in their opinion.

Errol then helped his brother put som glossy varnish on the paintings to protect it from dust and yellowing.

The next day, Errol helped his brother frame the boards and wrapped them neatly, with Ignatz putting a marker which one is for the cafe and his personal gift.

"Oh, this cafe." Errol said softly as they walked up to the cosy exterior, carrying the wrapped paintings carefully. "I've heard about this place a lot in the news. They really commissioned you to do a painting?"

"Yeah... I couldn't believe it either." Ignatz replied. "They've been supportive enough when they saw my sketches one day..."

They entered the cafe, with Ignatz treating his brother to the House's special for the day. They talked about idle things for a while until the owners closed early for the day.

"You're already finished?" Khalid said in surprise as he and his wife sat down with the Victors.

"I wasn't busy with anything else so..." Ignatz trailed off as he handed over the painting for the cafe. "I hope it's up to your taste and go well with the cafe."

Byleth carefully opened the wrapping and took a sharp intake of breath when she saw the piece.

"It's beautiful, Ignatz." Byleth said softly, admiring the painting. Khalid looked at it as well and let out a low whistle.

"Damn. That's some skill right there. Knew you'd deliver a quality painting."

"And this one is my gift for your wedding anniversary." Ignatz added as he picked up the other painting. "Since you two won't let me paint that one for free, I made another one. As a gift."

The couple blinked at that and took the second painting, taking off the wrapping carefully.

Errol smiled at that as the couple showered Ignatz with praises upon seeing the second piece. Khalid even went and ranted that both pieces are so good, he has to display them both in the cafe for everyone to see. He immediately looked around his seat for a spare wall to hang the second painting up.

"Oh, yeah. Your payment." Khalid said as he took out his phone. "Give me your account number and I'll wire it."

A few minutes of silence and Ignatz let out a small confused noise.

One, two, three...

That's too many zeroes for a painting of his.

He was expecting a much lower amount than that.

"Uhm, Khalid? I think you sent the wrong amount?"

"Hm? I don't think so. These kind of paintings worth around five hundred or so from an art gallery." Khalid pointed out. "And since I directly purchased from the artist, it's only appropriate to pay twice of that."

"That's not how..."

Khalid winked at him. "Think of the excess as my tip then. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to put these up so that everyone can see it tomorrow."

"Ignatz," Byleth said with a fond smile as her husband puttered off with a hum. "Don't try to reason with him. He sees your potential and he wants you to continue it if possible. A little incentive for doing what you love."

Ignatz only stared at her, then a smile bloomed on his face as he got teary eyed.

Their support and belief in him is too surreal in this age and time. It's hard to believe that some people found his work worthwhile...

"Thank you..." Ignatz choked back a sob.

He's been struggling choosing his love for the art and the stable life and income that he stopped his actual painting and resorted to just sketching to get back into the swing of things.

But maybe there is a way to make it work together hand in hand.

Errol ruffled his brother's hair to cheer him up. "Told you your works are great, Iggy."

**BONUS** :

"Khalid, how much are you willing to receive to part with these exquisite paintings?" Lorenz asked his friend as he dropped by the cafe some weeks later. He stood in front of the damask roses, unable to tear his eyes away from them.

Khalid made a face at that while Byleth chuckled.

"Bug off, Lorenz." Khalid told him. "I got those as an anniversary gift for Bibi. I'm not going to sell it to anyone."

Lorenz turned to the couple. "Then pray tell, who's the artist? Or who sold it to you? I would very much like to have him in our crew of art consultants or painters for the Gloucester Art Gallery."

"Oh, it's that guy in the corner." Khalid said as he nodded towards Ignatz's table. "Don't scare him off, you hear me? You sometimes have that air around you that makes people...erm...shy away from you."

"Nonsense!" Lorenz scoffed. "Now, excuse me, I have a painter to recruit."

"Hold on a moment, Lorenz." Byleth called him as she handed him a drink and a folded letter. "Can you give this to him?"

"Oh, his order?"

"No, a freebie from us." Byleth told him. "He gets a free second drink evey Friday."

"I see... Very well. I'll take it to him."

Khalid watched him go and then turned to his wife.

"Why did you lie about him getting free drinks?" Khalid asked curiously. "Ignatz said he doesn't want to abuse our hospitality..."

"It's for Lorenz's sake." Byleth replied with a straight face. "He can be really overbearing when recruiting and that drink is for Ignatz to keep himself calm and not reject this perfect opportunity for his career to start going up."

**Author's Note:**

> For those curious of the technique used in painting, look up David Jansen in YT. His acrylic paintings are inspiring.


End file.
